Multi-system air conditioning machine

Abstract

A total cooling capability requested from one or a plurality of indoor units is compared with a total heating capability requested from one or the plurality of indoor units to set a cooling or heating operation mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-system air conditioning machine comprising: an outdoor unit including a compressor for drawing, compressing, and delivering a refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat of the supplied refrigerant and heat of outer air, and an outdoor fan for circulating the outer air in said outdoor heat exchanger;   a plurality of indoor units each including an indoor heat exchanger for exchanging the heat of the supplied refrigerant and heat of inner air, and an indoor fan for circulating the inner air in said indoor heat exchanger, for requesting a cooling operation mode and a cooling capability or a heating operation mode and a heating capability;   means for supplying the refrigerant delivered from said compressor to said outdoor heat exchanger, supplying the refrigerant to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a cooling operation mode, and returning the refrigerant to said compressor when a total cooling capability requested from one or said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total heating capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   means for supplying a part of the refrigerant delivered from said compressor to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a heating operation mode to cause the part of refrigerant to join the flow of the refrigerant to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a cooling operation mode, when a total cooling capability requested from one or said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total cooling capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   means for supplying the refrigerant delivered from said compressor to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a heating operation mode, supplying the refrigerant to said outdoor heat exchanger, and returning the refrigerant to said compressor, when a total heating capability requested from one or said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total cooling capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   means for supplying a part of the refrigerant supplied from one or said plurality of indoor units which request a heating operation mode to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a cooling operation mode, and returning the refrigerant to said compressor, when a total heating capability requested from one of said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total cooling capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   first detecting means for detecting a degree of superheat or supercool of the refrigerant in said outdoor heat exchanger;   regulating means for regulating an amount of refrigerant supplied to said outdoor heat exchanger to set a detection result of said first detecting means to be constant;   second detecting means for detecting a pressure or temperature of the refrigerant in said outdoor heat exchanger; and   controlling means for controlling a speed of said outdoor fan to set a detection result of said second detecting means to be constant.   
     
     
       2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said first detecting means is an expansion valve for detecting the degree of superheat. 
     
     
       3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said first detecting means is a temperature sensor for sensing the degree of supercool. 
     
     
       4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said regulating means is an expansion valve. 
     
     
       5. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said regulating means includes a pulse motor valve. 
     
     
       6. A machine according to claim 3, further comprising a voltage controller for supplying drive power to said outdoor fan. 
     
     
       7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said voltage controller converts a voltage of a commercial AC power source into a voltage having a predetermined level to output the converted voltage. 
     
     
       8. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said controlling means controls the output voltage from said voltage controller. 
     
     
       9. A multi-system air conditioning machine comprising: an outdoor unit including a compressor for drawing, compressing, and delivering a refrigerant, and an outdoor heat exchanger for exchanging heat of the supplied refrigerant and heat of outer air;   a plurality of indoor units each including an indoor heat exchanger for exchanging the heat of the supplied refrigerant and the heat of inner air, for requesting a cooling operation mode and a cooling capability or a heating operation mode and a heating capability;   means for supplying the refrigerant delivered from said compressor to said outdoor heat exchanger, supplying the refrigerant to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a cooling operation mode, and returning the refrigerant to said compressor when a total cooling capability requested from one or said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total heating capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   means for supplying a part of the refrigerant delivered from said compressor to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a heating operation mode to cause the part of refrigerant to join the flow of the refrigerant to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a cooling operation mode, when a total cooling capability requested from one or said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total heating capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   means for supplying the refrigerant delivered from said compressor to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a heating operation mode, supplying the refrigerant to said outdoor heat exchanger, and returning the refrigerant to said compressor, when a total heating capability requested from one or said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total cooling capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   means for supplying a part of the refrigerant supplied from one or said plurality of indoor units which request a heating operation mode to one or said plurality of indoor units which request a cooling operation mode, and returning the refrigerant to said compressor, when a total heating capability requested from one or said plurality of indoor units is larger than a total cooling capability requested from the remaining one or plurality of indoor units;   a pluraiity of detecting means for respectively detecting temperatures of said plurality of indoor heat exchangers; and   limiting means for limiting flowing of the refrigerant into the corresponding one of said indoor units when a detection result of each of said detecting means is not more than a predetermined value.   
     
     
       10. A machine according to claim 9, wherein said detecting means is a temperature sensor. 
     
     
       11. A machine according to claim 9, wherein said limiting means includes a pulse motor valve.